An Engagement Ring
by Cafinatedangel13
Summary: Jacob never did imprint on Bella... J/B


**An Engagement Ring**

The description of the famous engagement ring is taken more-or-less directly from the book. Nowhere near bashing, but for anyone else who thinks imprinting is an easy way out.

Jacob didn't know what to think when she held the elaborately designed engagement ring that had decorated a particular finger on her left hand only days before under his nose. For a moment he simply stared at shimmering piece of jewelry that had once symbolized promises and eternity-literally-and had marked her as another's, watching as it caught and threw the sunlight at elegant, beautiful angels, dancing across the pale, slender fingers that held it almost as a peace offering. But the sparkles dancing and weaving to and away from the diamonds nestled into the soft the metal band were natural and perfect, unlike the similar sparkles that it had represented so recently.

Finally he met her coffee brown eyes, just out of reach of the shimmering light and, still not understanding the gesture, flashed his best sunshine smile; the one he knew she thought of as hers, "Are you proposing?" he asked with the playful undertones of a chuckle embedded in his voice, "'Cause if so, you should be down on one knee."

She didn't laugh at his attempted joke, or even crack a smile. Her expression was clear and serious, and Jacob was beginning to wonder if he should be worried. "He won't take it back," she said. "He says the he gave it to _me_, that it's _mine_, circumstances are irrelevant."

"And you're shoving it in my face because..."

That got the smile he was looking for, and a light giggle quickly followed. In seconds, though, her expression had sobered, and she offered him a slow, sad smile. "I want you to have it," she said softly, "Because someday, you're going to meet your eclipse."

Jacob sighed and resisted the urge to roll his eyes. This was an old subject. The horse was dead, his ashes had been scattered, so everyone could just put their sticks down already. Why couldn't she understand that she was all he ever saw? When he thought about the future, ever changing just as the fortune-telling leech had said, she was the one thing that _always_ stayed the same. Sometimes he just wanted to grab her by the shoulders and shake her screaming, _I'm yours damnit!_, until he was sure she got the message.

"Bella-"

She placed a finger against his lips and shook her head. "You will," and her tone left no room for argument. "I don't want to be your Leah, and I don't want you to be my Sam. When that day comes, I won't make you say it," she said taking his hand hers and curled his fingers around the ring, tiny and insignificant settled in his massive palm, "Just give this back, and I'll understand."

He still thought the concept was ridiculous and was tempted to argue, not wanting to keep any remittent of the immortal crystal that had come between them near him at all. But it was simple request and if it gave her piece of mind, well, he could hang on to the expensive little trinket.

Three years had come and gone and now another ring decorated the same finger of her left hand. This one was smaller, a smooth, shiny gold band imbedded with three tiny paw-prints, a diamond in the center of each one, sitting almost flat against her skin so that even she wouldn't be able to snag it on anything.

It was not as elegant or eye catching as the one that had previously held residence in that place, but Bella had been alternately running her finger over the shimmery metal and slanting it so she could admire the way it sparkled as it flashed in the murky sunlight since he had slid it on her finger.

Jake discovered quickly that he liked to watch her play with the symbolic jumble of precious metal and stone; the way her eyes lit up as it caught and threw the sun, and the smile her lips curled into involuntarily whenever she skimmed its surface with her finger. She'd never done those things when she'd worn a different ring, treating it more as a threat, something dangerous that needed to be removed, than a material representation of love and devotion.

But whatever threat she had seen in it had warped into something else for her eyes alone, and Jacob continued to carry it around with him, mostly in his pocket, sometimes on his smallest finger when feeling playful enough, once in his shoe. Today it was on a chain beneath his dress-shirt, coat, and tie, the cool band (it never seemed to absorb his unnatural warmth, though admittedly that could just be his imagination) resting against his chest, representing love, and devotion, and broken promises.

They both laughed as Bella tripped over her own feet and pressed it into his skin.

Another year has come and gone, and Jake is currently scanning the airport terminal for any sign of Rebecca is who late _again_ after assuring him several times that she would be at the gate when he got there…

…and the world slowed down. She's across the room, glancing around as if looking for someone too. Tiny, shorter than maybe even the fortune-telling leech, with long ginger colored hair that falls around her in waves even pulled back into the ponytail she'd tied with a thin red ribbon. Two tufts not quite long enough to reach frame her face and draw attention to her eyes, sherry brown, naturally tined red. Her skin is milk pale but obviously beginning to tan over, though a little red around her face where the sun had been less kind.

Jacob stares for a second, and before time begins to move again, he feels himself suddenly being anchored down not having realized he'd been floating around in space for all these years, and it takes him a second to realize what happened. Gravity shifted

And then he's laughing. It starts out as an easy chuckle, like a joke he didn't really get, but it quickly escalates into doubled-over, all out hysterical laughter. He's bent over, arms around his stomach, his sides beginning burn as he tries to breathe. The people in terminal pause in whatever they're doing to stare at him, and he knows he needs to collect himself, or at least get oxygen to his brain. But he can't stop because it's just so damn _funny…_

The ring is beautiful. Antique with a long oval face, set with slanting rows of glittering round stones. The band is gold-delicate and narrow, making a fragile web around the diamonds. Yukina cannot fathom how such a gorgeous piece of jewelry could have gotten into her purse, but feels it's important, so she keeps it anyway.


End file.
